If you stroll through the MP3 section at Amazon, you'll come across any number of collections of mostly Public Domain Christmas music from days long gone by. These are usually from labels either overseas (where the copyright laws are different enough to compel Bob Dylan/Sony to release a collection of early outtakes now fetching $1000 on eBay) or of questionable pedigree. But I've never really come across anything similar on Bandcamp...until now. This collection of old 78s, featuring everything from early Jazz and Blues to Old Timey, Folk, Doo Wop, and some Caribbean rhythms, is credited to Putz Disc of Brooklyn. To all appearances, Putz Disc exists only on Bandcamp and seems to be a collector sharing his collection. Since I view Bandcamp and Soundcloud as legit outfits, I'm going under the assumption that "Wishful Thinking At Christmas Time" is "legit" (though that could be my own "wishful thinking"). Veteran collectors, no doubt, have accumulated most of these sides already. But there are a few that you might not have stumbled across before. Dig, for instance, the island sounds of Sam Manning ("Looking For Me Santa Claus") and Mighty Spoiler ("Father Christmas"). Charles and Effie Tyus swing their way through an early (and very scratchy) "Cuddle Up Close, It's Winter Time". And then there are The DeZurik Sisters with their own unique take on "Silver Bells" (no, not that"Silver Bells"), featuring harmonized chicken clucking and yodeling. There's a little something for everyone, here, so go ahead and name-your-price ("zero" works). And, when you're done, you might as well check out the Putz Disc offering frm earlier in 2012, "At Last I'm Happy".

Earlier on, we spoke a bit about the Radio Free Song Club, largely a folk radio collective seeking out "good songs". From time to time, these songs--performed especially for Radio Free--are posted for free download (donations are always welcome, though). So I checked back to see if they'd posted any new Christmas songs this year. And they had!

Amy Allison is a New York based performer of eclectic styles who has been writing and singing since the 80s. In that time, she's appeared on records with such groups as They Might Be Giants, Mudhonney and Elvis Costello (though, to be fair, it was Elvis who appeared on Amy's 2009 album "Sheffield Streets").

"Drinking Through Christmas" is a cry-in-your-pretzels country tune that would go nicely in a set with "Merry Christmas From The Family". And it's free from the Radio Free Song Club.

It's become one of our favorite holiday traditions, right up there with the Santastic series, and the 2012 Christmas album from Cigar Box Nation has finally arrived. This one's a huge mother--41 tracks in all, I think. Cigar Box Nation is an online community of musicians--professional and amateur--who prefer their music homemade and their instruments the same way. There's a long history of Cigar Box Guitar music in this country and these people keep that legacy alive. You don't need a Gibson or a Les Paul to make great music, so long as you've got an old cigar box and a couple of strings, you're golden. Of course, a lot of these cigar box instruments are a bit more elaborate than that--many electrified and what not. And the annual Christmas album features so many styles and sounds, that it's like opening the mystery present on Christmas morning, with plenty of oohs and aahs all round.

In the best of years, it takes me a long time to get through an entire Cigar Box Christmas album. But a quick hop, skip and jump through "Cigar Box Christmas 2012" reveals plenty of great music, starting with the killer opening Blues number, "Cigar Box Santa" from Mark "Fat Max" Hill. Ledfoot T provides a beautiful folk song about the famous "Christmas Truce 1914" (not quite John McCutcheon, but very fine in it's own right). And there's a rather affecting story-song about the same event, "Le Miracle De Noel" from c# merle. "Snowflakes In The Misty Village" is a sweet and lovely, nearly ambient, old world folk instrumental from SUGIMUGI. "Meansleeves" from The Anonymous Pick is an all too brief Heavy Metal riff that sounds like it came from a lost Black Sabbath session. I very much enjoyed Captain Nemoff's "Welcome To My Kitchen" (some old time country blues, that) and, though this year's set is a bit light on straight up pop, there's one wonderful pop track from Neanderpaul, "Christmas Only Comes One Day Of The Year" that, having grown up a Bubblegum Child, would make this set worthwhile to me all by its lonesome. There's some classic Lo-Fi old timey, some simple heartfelt homemade seasonal tributes, some classic blues rock that sounds like Jimi Hendrix jamming with Eric Clapton, some stuff just for fun, and no doubt some you may regard as clunkers. In short, "Cigar Box Christmas 2012" is a surprise Christmas party in a zip, and everybody's coming. Download it free at Cigar Box Nation.

People Magazine is once again offering folks a free Christmas download. This one features 7 tracks, including tracks from the brand new Scotty McCreery and Lady Antebellum releases. Headhereto pick up your free download code and follow the instructions. This would appear to be iTunes only. Sorry.

Brad Paisley - Away in a MangerLady Antebellum - The First NoelSara Evans - O Come All Ye FaithfulScotty McCreery - Jingle BellsGloriana O Holy NightSammy Kershaw - Up on the HousetopKatie Armiger - I Just Want to Be With You This Christmas

The FREE List

Here we hope to direct you to some of the Christmas music on the web that can be yours absolutely free. We will not direct you to mp3 or sharity sites, here, but only to artist sites, label sites, and other authorized and unquestionably legal locations.